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Home Health A to Z
Dizziness
It's common to sometimes feel dizzy, lightheaded or off-balance, and it's not usually serious. See a GP if you're worried.
Check if you have dizziness
Dizziness includes feeling:
off-balance
giddy
lightheaded or faint
like you're spinning or things around you are spinning (vertigo)
How you can treat dizziness yourself
Dizziness usually goes away on its own. But there are things you can do to take care of yourself while you're feeling dizzy.
Do
lie down until dizziness passes, then get up slowly
move slowly and carefully
get plenty of rest
drink plenty of fluids, especially water
avoid coffee, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs
Don’t
do not bend down suddenly
do not get up suddenly after sitting or lying down
do not do anything that could be dangerous while you're dizzy, like driving, climbing a ladder or using heavy machinery
do not lie totally flat if you feel like things are spinning
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
you're worried about your dizziness or vertigo
it will not go away or it keeps coming back
you're finding it harder to hear
there's ringing or other sounds in your ears (tinnitus)
you have double vision, blurred vision or other changes in your eyesight
your face, arms or legs feel numb
you have other symptoms like fainting, headaches, feeling or being sick
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
Causes of dizziness
If you have other symptoms, this might give you an idea of the cause. Do not self-diagnose – see a GP if you're worried.
Dizziness while you're ill with something else
Dizziness for no obvious reason
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Page last reviewed: 24 April 2020
Next review due: 24 April 2023
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